Austria faces shortage of adult representatives, rights standards at risk

Austria is experiencing a critical shortage of adult representatives, a trend that VertretungsNetz, an organization advocating for adult protection, warns is leading to a reduction in human rights standards. Despite a growing number of individuals requiring assistance to manage their affairs, the number of court-appointed adult representatives has steadily declined since the introduction of the Adult Protection Act in 2018.

According to VertretungsNetz, the number of court-appointed adult representatives has fallen from approximately 52,700 to 35,000. The organization emphasizes that while many individuals, particularly the elderly, could live self-determined lives with accessible social work, personal assistance, and barrier-free access to authorities, the lack of such support services necessitates the involvement of adult representatives. This situation, VertretungsNetz argues, is often avoidable.

The disparity in the provision of adult representation is particularly stark across Austria's federal states. Salzburg stands out with the lowest number of court-appointed adult representatives per 100,000 inhabitants, significantly fewer than in Carinthia, Styria, or Vienna. Martin Marlovits, deputy head of the adult representation department at VertretungsNetz, called for scientific research into the reasons behind these "serious regional differences" to inform ongoing reform plans.

Furthermore, the type of individual appointed as an adult representative also varies significantly by region. In Vienna, lawyers and notaries are appointed in over 71% of cases, a rate considerably higher than in other states, where the percentage ranges from 22% to 42%. This regional variation in appointment practices has raised questions, with some speculation suggesting that a few law firms, particularly in Vienna, handle a disproportionately large number of cases.